Classification of Semiconductor: Intrinsic and Extrinsic

The silicon is the heart of any electronic Industry. Semiconductors have a vast impact on our society. These lies at the heart of microprocessor, chips and transistor industry. The semiconductors are the compound which has a good electrical conductance, generally intermediary between the insulator and a conductor. These are the basic component of various kinds of electronic circuit and device used in communications, Information technology and in computers.

Classification of Semiconductor:

Semiconductors come in a variety of designs and types. They can be classified as per their dopant types. This article explains all these differences in detail, Two basic kinds of semiconductors are:

Intrinsic Semiconductors

The pure form of semiconductor is called as intrinsic semiconductor. It can also be stated as semiconductor is which conduction band have equal number of holes and electron ration.

These have very minute forbidden energy gap. The energy available at room temperature is enough for the valence electrons to jump across the conduction band. Another characteristic feature is that the Fermi level. Their Fermi Level lies in between the valence band and the conduction band. 4"Silicon Wafers is best known example of intrinsic semiconductors.

Extrinsic Semiconductors

In these semiconductors the pure state is deliberately diluted by adding impurities into it. Such  impurities when added to 100mm Silicon Wafers, are known as doping agents or dopant. The materials chosen for doping either have 5 electrons or 3 electrons in their valence shell. Such,  dopants are either known as pentavalent or trivalent dopant.